HOLIDAY 2019

We would like to announce our 10th annual holiday to Kent - for "The Gardens of the Greats"​Sunday 7 July to Wednesday 10 July 2018

This will be our 10th consecutive holiday and a return to Kent, the Garden of England.

‘Early Bird’ visits are booked for Great Dixter on Monday and Sissinghurst Castle on Tuesday when we will have exclusive access to these iconic gardens before they open to the public. This is a wonderful opportunity as these two gardens are hugely popular, especially in high summer. Christopher Lloyd and Vita Sackville-West must be two of the most influential gardeners of the 20th Century.

We stay at the Tunbridge Wells Mercure Hotel, which is situated in Pembury some two miles from Tunbridge Wells. The 4 Star hotel is styled around a feature oast house and we have free use of the indoor heated pool, sauna and steam room.The other visits are all to smaller private gardens, and many have plants for sale. This year there are neither Old Rectories nor Old Vicarages, as visited on previous holidays, but a selection of gardens varying in style and size; all with knowledgeable and enthusiastic owners keen to share their gardens with us. Many have featured in garden magazines.

The gardens are:-

Timbers: 5 acre garden designed with colour as priority. 100 year old Kentish cobnut plat.

Hole Park: has opened for NGS since 1927. 15 acres planted for all seasons.

Norney Wood, Surrey: Only four miles from Munstead Wood, the garden was inspired by Gertrude Jekyll to sit amongst the woodland, yet with the formality to complement the Edwardian House.

Downderry Lavender: including a tour of the growing fields and a demonstration of lavender distillation.

The Walled Nursery: two acre nursey in walled garden with 13 glasshouses dating from 1800 undergoing restoration. Virtually all plants for sale are grown on site. The Vinery Cafe is our venue for dinner on Day three.

# Sissinghurst Castle is a National Trust property. Non NT members will be required to pay the £14 entrance fee with their final payment to us. NT members must bring their current NT cards to show on the day to avoid the £14 entrance charge.

Bookings will be accepted from 2 January 2019 with a non-returnable deposit of £50 per person and dealt with in order of receipt. Balance to be paid by 31 March 2019.